The Empath Alchemist {Edward Elric X Reader}

15

"Van Hohenheim?"

The nameless slave turned to the source of the voice that was a stark contrast to that of the other dwarf in the flask who always seemed to have a crafty way with words. The sky had melted into a breathtaking swirl of colors complemented by cotton candy clouds. The atmosphere had shifted from a crisp blue into a vast combination of purples and oranges, illuminating the grand city in its mellow gaze.

The blonde man still had a hard time responding to the name he was given. He'd gotten significantly better with recalling that the name was his, but there were times when he'd question who was being called when the name left either of the mouths of the Homunculi in the flasks, the two entities floating within the confines of glass- one with the blood from his flesh and the other with the blood of a slave he had no affiliation with or knowledge of.

As number 23 stared down at the latter, he was puzzled. Its essence morphed into a figure that resembled a man, though it was nothing but a transparent shadow of a presence it could somehow warp itself into an image that the golden eyed man could make out as a human being. He was puzzled as to why the Homunculus that had shown him the wonders of the world through literature, speech, math, and arithmetic could not do what this brighter dwarf could not do the same with its form. It was stuck as a round, dark form of matter that was not able to sustain life outside of its glass. Why was the younger Homunculus more malleable than the one he had formed a stronger connection with?

It's shape fluttered, it's active body illuminated in a soft golden aura making up for its lack of sentience other than a pair of transparent eyes that always appeared to be closed. It floated within its flask, which was a tad bigger than the other Homunculus', and faced the confounded man. It took him a few moments to realize that the figure it had shifted into resembled himself.

"It's just Hohenheim," he said stiffly, turning back to the view of the city.

"Of course," it responded serenely. Hohenheim missed the wavering of its form that matched his indifferent emotions. "What troubles you, Hohenheim?"

"What troubles me?" he repeated the question, unsure of what kind of response this uncomfortably preceptive being wanted from him. In many ways, the other dwarf's condescending tone was more comforting than this Homunculus' stoically benevolent voice. Especially since it seemed to enjoy morphing into different shapes whenever in the presence of the slave. "I don't understand the question. I'm not troubled."

"Not troubled?" it asked, tilting what Hohenheim deemed to be its head downward. "But you look over this city with such melancholy eyes."

The young man's brow twitched upon hearing yet another word that he had not been taught by the first Dwarf in the flask. He turned his head slightly over his shoulder, embarrassed that yet another Homunculus had proven its intelligence and therefore his lack hereof. His slim brows knitted together as he looked upon the Homunculus with misdirected displeasure. The dwarf's form shrunk in size yet it remained a resemblance of the slave.

"Melancholy," he frowned, simply stating the word and refusing to ask what it meant directly. He left it up to the Homunculus to pick apart his short statement, which it did with a quickness.

"Longing. As if you are unhappy with your place, even after all that you've learned here. After forming a bond with a Homunculus and attaining companionship with him as well, there's something you still want, isn't there?"

Van's frown deepened as he turned back to the sky, shifting his shoulders closer to his ears as he leaned on the stone edge of the glassless window. A stubborn pout had morphed onto his face as he tried his best to appear unaffected, yet he could never hide how taken aback he was when this dwarf voiced the very emotion he was feeling within seconds of sitting by him. The other dwarf had been able to detect his intent and feelings, but only after asking him a series of questions that had only sprouted due to sheer curiosity. This Homunculus was far too perceptive to even be compared to the dwarf that served as his mentor. In fact, it often surprised him that they were both the same species- though not originated from the same sources.